Every time I have a chance to shoot with Samsung EX1, I can't help but feel that I made a mistake by investing in Micro 4/3 system.

Samsung EX1 is such a wonderful camera. It is significantly more compact than even E-P1 and has a very useful 24-72mm zoom range. And that Schneider-Kreuznach lens is simply gorgeous: fast, sharp, with low distortion and CA. Oh, I also forgot to mention high-resolution flip-out AMOLED screen.

It's such a useful camera to take everywhere I go. It's a bit too large to fit in my coat pocket, but it's small enough to fit even in the smallest bag. Fast lens and image stabilization make it easy to shoot in low light. This shot, for example, was taken at 1/8 of a second; I doubt I could have managed it with my Panasonic G2:

{}

Image quality is surprisingly close to Micro 4/3, too. Samsung EX1 at ISO 400 is very similar to Panasonic G2 at ISO 800 with the welcome addition of wide DOF. If I want the same DOF with G2, I have to stop down the lens and shoot at ISO 1600. And - surprise, surprise - files from EX1 tolerate lifting of shadows better than files from Panasonic G2, although G2 is better at preserving highlights.

{}

Overall EX1 works great when I just want to wonder around alone and take shots of whatever I find interesting.

Strat, I'm very glad that you posted these and it's easy to see why you would be in love with your Samsung. There really are so many very good cameras around, but when you find one that really makes you happy a high percentage of the time and gives you what you want - who can beat that?

Great reds in that restaurant shot, beautiful vista at night and I happen to love the colors in your electrical one.

Thanks for starting this thread and showing us some fine images you made with your EX1.

During decades of film photography, I owned and used several Schneider lenses including the phenomenal 28 PC for 35mm. Seeing that marque on a serious digital compact got my attention, and I think the EX1's little Varioplan is worthy of the house. Its contrast and clarity are wonderful. As I work with the images, I feel like I'm using a lens worth many times more than the entire camera's price. I know that's a film-based impression, but that's where I'm coming from. I'm glad that the zoom is in steps and I can think back to what a bag full of eight excellent fast primes would weigh and cost in film days. It's hard not to feel anxious about the next new camera and improvements, but when I look back, the EX1 is pretty amazing.

About the AMOLED screen, I'm especially pleased with its accuracy as a preview of exposure. I never take my EX1 out of manual mode: I set the aperture and simply spin the front wheel (shutter speed) until the image on the screen looks right. If the scene is very contrasty, I simply hold the highlights, knowing the RAW has enough depth to let me lift shadows a lot. Lately, I've been staying at or near base ISO and simply choose my shots and brace myself as conditions require. No exposure comp, no priority modes, or other fiddling around. This radical simplification in shooting has been very liberating, letting me visualize more and operate technology less. For me, this is really a case of "less is more," and I love the EX1 for what it lets me turn off and ignore.

I use the selection of AF points a lot, and manual focus, a lot, though mostly to lock focus and for infinity focus. With all its limitations, the manual focus implementation is very useful to me.

One low-tech note: I made a huge lens cap out of a Fancy Feast tin covered with layers of black tape. It covers the entire lens turret, gripping the knurled ring. With this ugly thing on the front, and the screen turn inward, I have no qualms about plopping the camera into a pocket or bag, knowing both screen and lens are well protected.

I could say much more in praise of the EX1, but these are a few of my favorite things.

About the AMOLED screen, I'm especially pleased with its accuracy as a preview of exposure. I never take my EX1 out of manual mode: I set the aperture and simply spin the front wheel (shutter speed) until the image on the screen looks right. If the scene is very contrasty, I simply hold the highlights, knowing the RAW has enough depth to let me lift shadows a lot.

I pretty much agree with the thoughts about the EX1 here, "IQ" and handling are both very good. It's not perfect, layout&customization could be a little better, it should really accept the electronic viewfinder with a 'smart' shoe, a quicker processor for multiple RAW files, and a few other niggles, but Samsung are new to this game, so you have to be patient with them. This is my first compact, ever... never even had a film compact, so it's been an interesting experience for more casual photography - the 'release' from the SLR has been quite pleasant. Above all, you have the accept the limitations of any tool you use, and with that in mind, it's an extremely capable camera... like many, when you learn to get the best out of it, the rewards can be nice.

I've only really had one 'outing' with it in honesty, I was expecting to get some more images with it over the Christmas period, but the bad weather meant travelling was just dangerous or tediously long... so didn't really take any photos sadly. Although, I have some time to relax next week so hopefully I will have more to share then

Welcome to the forum! So many nice images from one outing is a good success rate: I suppose the EX1 deserves some of the credit, but yours is clearly in capable hands. Your images titled "Palette" and "Settling back" have the subtle colors and luminosity that I was delighted to find the EX1 capable of capturing. The shot in the pedestrian tunnel, with its lengthy caption, is both an interesting image and a situation that I and various companions could easily relate to! Looking forward to your future postings...

Richard, yes, welcome to Serious Compacts and thank so much for jumping right in an posting some very interesting pictures. My two immediate favorites are "Reflections" and "Richard please...".

I'm very glad you found your way here and hope that you'll stop by the Welcomes and Introductions forum, when you have the time. In addition, please don't hesitate to put the link to your very nice website in your signature line.

Perhaps because it wouldn't fit your style of shooting. I just visited your blog and WOW! Talk about pushing the high-contrast envelope: your 1-22-11 image from the Botanical Garden is most excellent. I imagine it was a split-second grab shot that wouldn't have waited for manual exposure setting, but I'm just guessing. Well done, to you and the EX1. Care to comment?

Perhaps because it wouldn't fit your style of shooting. I just visited your blog and WOW! Talk about pushing the high-contrast envelope: your 1-22-11 image from the Botanical Garden is most excellent. I imagine it was a split-second grab shot that wouldn't have waited for manual exposure setting, but I'm just guessing. Well done, to you and the EX1. Care to comment?

Click to expand...

Thanks for dropping by my blog and for your kind words. I find the EX1 to be an amazing street photography camera. For my shooting style I use the center AF point only, and shoot using aperture priority mode. I like to leave it at around f/4 for more DOF and set the ISO as low as I can while still trying to keep shutter speeds above 1/100th or more. I also dial down the exposure compensation 1.5-2 stops depending on the light which gives me a faster shutter speed. The image is under exposed but the RAW files push nicely in Lightroom so no real worries there.

these pictures were shot inside the green house at the National Botanical Gardens. They had just turned the misters on and the sun was in the perfect place. It only lasted for about 20 seconds and many people tried to get out of there so there was a lot of movement, so yes it was a quick grab. The lens also started fogging up which added to the effect. What looks like noise on the girls faces on the top picture is actually mist on the lens. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

Hi again, thanks for all the "welcomes" & I'm glad some of your liked some of the photos from the EX-1 . It's been fun having that release from an SLR system, and the "IQ" has continued to surprise me. I hope I didn't offend anyone with posting the photos in someone elses thread btw, I jus saw the title and thought it was the best place to post them (a member from another forum suggested I post some here -gsaronni).

Anyway, the light was very drab and the weather didn't do anything interesting either, so no more photos to share sadly, but still had a nice week non the less. I will check in when I have a few more worth posting.

While I'm here, I'm interested in the 'auto lens caps' that you see on ebay, like this one. Has anyone used them? I'm interested in if they cause any wear in the long terms... I wouldn't want to damage the barrel or any of the moving parts... Anything to report? Fiddling with the lens cap is a tad annoying I think, when it's something you generally want to use quickly.

Has anyone found the max shutter speed of 1/1500 with such a 'bright' lens a problem? The XZ1 goes to 1/4000 and adds a 3 stop ND filter (from memory).

Click to expand...

I have not really found it to be an issue. Remember you can stop the lens down and you turn down the iso to 80 iso. On a camera such as this you are never going to have shallow DOF so there is no real reason to shoot wide open unless you are in dim light.

And if you going to shoot portraits you would not be wanting to shoot them in bright mid day sun anyway.

When shooting in bright light I just set the f/stop to f/4 and the iso to 80. Have never had any issues

If you look at the picture I posted above in the greenhouse the exif reads

Links in this page may be to our affiliates. Sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.